Consideration of mass drug administration for the containment of artemisinin-resistant malaria in the Greater Mekong subregion. Meeting report
This report of a consensus meeting held on 27-28 September 2010 in Geneva, Switzerland provides a summary of the issues surrounding use of mass drug administration (MDA) for containing and eliminating a parasite strain. The participants weighed the benefits and risks of implementing MDA in this context. The outcome of the meeting was general acceptance of MDA as a potentially appropriate element of the artemisinin resistance containment strategy; however, lack of evidence precluded a recommendation for immediate implementation. Several research questions need to be answered before conclusions can be drawn about use of MDA for the containment of artemisinin resistance.